Generator Wattage Worksheet
When calculating the “size” of generator you need, there are two key considerations:
Continuous Power and Peak Power
Continuous Power (or running power)
is the wattage required for operation of your appliances under normal load. The more appliances you want to be able run on
generator power at a single time, the more wattage your generator will need to be able to produce.
Extra Peak Power (or startup power)
is the extra wattage required for appliances at startup or when they are running at their highest levels of power consumption.
Your generator will need to be able to produce the peak power necessary to start the appliances and devices you plan to run.
However, because it’s rare that multiple appliances start at once, you probably need a generator that can handle the extra
peak wattage required only for your most power-hungry appliance--not all your appliances at once.
Using the worksheet
on page 2, check all
the appliances and
devices that you would
use at any given time.
Add up the “Continuous
Wattage” for all the
items you selected.
Put this value in the
“Required Continuous
Wattage” box.
Add the values in the
“Total Continuous
Wattage” and the
“Highest Peak Wattage” box. Put this sum
in the “Required Peak
Wattage” box
Find the highest “Extra
Peak Wattage” figure
for all the items in your
list.
Put it in the “Highest
Peak Wattage” box.
Example Worksheet
Household Products
Light Bulb (multiply the wattage times the number of bulbs in your whole house)
Refrigerator/Freezer
Television
X-Box, Game Cube, Playstation
Microwave Oven 625 Watts
Microwave Oven 1,000 Watts
Dishwasher
Coffee Maker
Electric Range (8-inch element)
Radio
Toaster Oven
Oven
Continuous Wattage
60 (60 x 10=600)
600
400
40
625
1,000
1,500
1,000
2,100
200
1,200
3,410
Extra Peak Wattage
0
2,100
0
0
0
0
1,500
1,000
0
0
0
0
E
L
P
M
A
X
E
Total Continuous Wattage
7,710
2,100
Highest Peak
Wattage
+
7,710
Required Peak Wattage
9,810
Next Step
See specific product pages for technical specifications of any particular generator or transfer switch to make sure that it
meets the needs you have identified here. If you have additional questions, call the Amazon.com Home Improvement
customer service team at 866-876-8073, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (CST).
Page 1 of 2
Wattage Reference Guide
Please note this is only an estimate and may be higher or lower than your actual power needs.
Household Products
Heating/Cooling
Laundry
Home Office
Other
Continuous Wattage
Extra Peak Wattage
Coffee Maker
Ceiling Fan
Dishwasher
Electric Range (8-inch element)
Home Theater System
Light Bulb (multiply the watts times the number of bulbs in your whole house)
Microwave Oven 1,000 Watts
Oven
Radio
Refrigerator/Freezer
Television
Toaster Oven
X-Box, Game Cube, Playstation
1000
800
400
40
625
60 (each)
1,000
3,410
100
600
400
1,200
40
0
2,000
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2,100
0
0
0
Air Conditioning (Central) 10,000 BTUs
Air Conditioning (Central) 24,000 BTUs
Air Conditioning (Window) 10,000 BTUs
Furnace Fan 1/4 Horsepower
Furnace Fan 1/2 Horsepower
1,500
3,800
1,200
600
875
3,000
4,950
1,800
400
1,475
Clothes Dryer
Iron
Washing Machine
5,400
1,200
1,150
1,350
0
2,250
Desktop Computer
Fax
Laptop Computer
Printer
800
250
600
950
0
0
0
0
Curling Iron
Garage Door Opener 1/2 Horsepower
Hair Dryer 1,250 Watts
Security System
1,500
875
1,250
500
0
2,350
0
0
Tools
Continuous Wattage
Electric Drill 3/8-inch, 4 Amps
Circular Saw 7-1/4-inch
Table Saw 10-inch
Router
Jig Saw
Air Compressor 1 Horsepower
Orbital Sander
Quartz Halogen Worklight 300 Watts
Landscaping Products
440
1,400
2,000
600
720
1,500
600
300
Continuous Wattage
Pressure Washer
String Trimmer
Chainsaw
Lawn Mower
Edger
1,200
600
1,200
1,400
960
Other Products/Tools Not Included Here
Continuous Wattage
Extra Peak Wattage
600
2,300
2,000
1,500
1,800
3,000
1,800
0
Extra Peak Wattage
2,400
900
1,200
2,920
1,400
Extra Peak Wattage
Total Continuous Wattage
+
Highest Peak
Wattage
Required Peak Wattage
If you have items that are not on the list, check the appliance, the product manual, or the manufacturer’s Web site for the
device’s continuous and peak wattage.
Page 2 of 2